Friday, February 10, 2006

Chicks and kicks

Whatever you think of French Connection clothing (poor quality and overpriced is the Brand Republic office consensus), its advertising is always striking and the latest spot written by Trevor Beattie is set for tabloid headlines and an almost certain TV ban.

It's one of those ads with "shot to be banned" written all over it, with violence and sexual suggestiveness writ large. I kind of like it. Funny that.

Two very attractive women trade martial arts blows in a dingy basement. It's not just the fighting, which would not look out of place in a Jet Li movie, but there is an added element of sexual suggestiveness. At various stages, as elbows, punches and kicks are traded, the girls, who also lose items of clothing, seem to be enjoying it as the men in the cinema audience will no doubt do so also -- there's no way this will run on TV, not pre-watershed at least.

Oh, then there is the baby oil touch. Extra special, one of the women gets covered in oil (it’s a dingy basement after all) and takes a second or two to rub some down her arms.

The final shot, as one women pins the other against the wall, is a passionate kiss, followed by another, a Glasgow kiss, as a wincing headbutt is served up.

Small point really, but the only thing I can't quite work out is what it has to do with its target market of 18- to 24-year-old women?